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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · kick · fine · ground · arm · bear · hand · wave

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. can — to be able to
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. hand — help
  5. ground — the earth
  6. kick — in football
  7. ground — crushed
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bear — the animal
  11. ground — a position
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. can — a tin
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. can — a tin
  24. fine — high quality

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com